By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 13: A taste of Sarawak has made its mark on the international culinary stage, with Miri-born chef Kenny Gan winning third place at the 10th World Tapas Championship in Valladolid, Spain, with his creative take on the traditional pansuh dish.
His award-winning creation featured wild patin (silver catfish) from the Baleh River in Kapit, transformed into a croquette filled with patin mousse. Bario rice was used to thicken the pansuh broth, prepared using fish bones, prawn shells and torch ginger flower (bunga kantan).
The dish was among the highlights of the State’s ‘Sarawak Gateway to Borneo’ showcase, which also introduced international visitors to Sarawak’s distinctive ingredients and flavours, including dabai and bunga kantan.
Head of the Sarawak Gateway to Borneo delegation Sim Ling Ling, who also represented the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, said the response to Sarawakian cuisine had been encouraging, with many visitors getting their first taste of ingredients and flavour combinations unique to the State.
“Over these three days, we saw various reactions from visitors, most of whom were pleasantly surprised because they had never tasted these ingredients.
“They also began asking about Sarawak and the stories behind the food served. We hope this experience will encourage them to visit Sarawak themselves and explore more of the uniqueness it has to offer,” she said in an interview with TVS.
Sim said the delegation’s participation in the international event provided a platform to introduce Sarawak’s culinary heritage to a wider audience while creating opportunities for collaboration within the food and beverage industry.
“Through Sarawak Gateway to Borneo, we want to invite the international community to come to Sarawak and explore the uniqueness of this state as well as Borneo.
“Our aspiration through Sarawak Flavours the World is to share Sarawak’s food ingredients, traditions, and culinary stories with a wider audience, while exchanging knowledge and learning from international food and beverage industry players,” she said.
She added that ‘Sarawak Flavours the World’ went beyond introducing local dishes, reflecting the State’s natural wealth and heritage through ingredients sourced from its land, seas and mountainous regions. – DayakDaily
